Understanding how plants produce terpenoids and improving their production using microbes
Official title: Plant terpenoids: Deciphering metabolic pathways and improving production in microbes
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-10911929 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how plants make special compounds called terpenoids that can be used for medicine, and it aims to help tiny organisms like yeast produce these compounds more easily and cheaply, so they can be more available for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $400,009 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150552-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911929 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who could benefit from this research are those suffering from diseases that can be treated with terpenoid-based medications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not respond to terpenoid-based treatments may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the metabolic pathways that allow plants to synthesize terpenoids, which are important compounds with medicinal properties. By identifying these pathways, the research aims to enhance the production of terpenoids in engineered microbes, making the process more efficient and cost-effective. The approach involves advanced techniques such as genomic mining and biochemical assays to characterize and reconstitute these pathways in yeast, allowing for higher yields of terpenoids. This could lead to more accessible and affordable medicinal compounds derived from plants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to increased availability of life-saving terpenoid-based medicines at lower costs.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using engineered microbes for the production of plant-derived compounds, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Zhen — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Wang, Zhen
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.